The Sadness In Her Eyes
by tv-addict007
Summary: "She had beautiful hazel eyes. But something was off. He had seen something in her eyes. Something that screamed broken at him. A deep sadness in her eyes, tainting the picture of a young, carefree, beautiful woman." - One Shot. AU Caskett meeting.


**Hi guys,**

**Last week I read a Tweet and suddenly got struck by an idea for a One Shot.**

**Hope you guys will like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.**

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**The Sadness In Her Eyes**

It was very late into the night. Actually it was quickly nearing towards midnight, and to Kate's dismay, it was raining cats and dogs. Pulling her coat tighter around her, she stepped out from under the roof of the police precinct, away from its safety.

Kate took the subway to work this morning, not thinking that it would rain later in the day. But it seemed as soon as her day had gone downhill, the weather did too. Today had been one of those days she should have just stayed in bed.

She had been assigned to the Homicide Squad today, helping them with a new case. The excitement and joy to finally be able to get a chance to work with the Detectives of the Homicide Department had rushed through her body the moment her Captain told her the news. Making her way towards the crime scene, she had told herself that she'd show everyone that she was the perfect fit for a Homicide Detective. Showing her Captain that she had been the right choice.

She just _had to_ become a Detective. There were no other options. Not for her.

Stepping out of the police car and walking to her colleagues who were already at the crime scene, she suddenly had been overcome with a sense of dread.

The scene had been in an alley way.

Slowing down a little, before coming to a stop a few steps later. She didn't know what was happening. Something had seemed to block her, couldn't get her feet to cooperate and close the remaining distance to the scene. A police officer had moved a little to the side and Kate had had a clear sight now. That had been the exact moment everything went downhill.

A middle-aged guy had laid slumped against the cold wall of a building. A gunshot wound to the chest.

It had been too real. Too close. Everything had looked almost like the crime scene from her mother's case. Kate had seen those crime scene photos often, looking through the evidence every time she could. Maybe even too often. But the similarity had been there, and suddenly panic had pushed away any other feeling.

The fact that the anniversary of her mother's death was just around the corner didn't help.

Feeling like she would vomit any second, Kate had rushed away towards the nearest garbage can, emptying her stomach into it. After she had been sure that nothing else would make its unwanted way up again, she had taken out a handkerchief and cleaned herself up.

So much for making a great first impression.

Kate had turned around and was surprised to see Royce standing in front of her. Her Training Officer had glanced at her knowingly, and Kate knew instantly that he'd send her back to the precinct again. She had tried to reason with him, convince him that she'd be okay but he didn't budged. He had told her that she wasn't ready yet. So she had made her way back to the precinct, feeling the eyes of her captain on her while she had spent the day filing old case files.

After finishing her duties, she had gone down to the archives and worked on her mother's case again. Completely losing track of time, Kate cursed when she saw that it was already past eleven pm. Her Dad probably laid on the couch at home, snoring drunkenly while the noise of the TV was filling the living room, which once had been filled with the sounds of a happy family life. She really should go home and check on him. Cleaning up and putting the evidence back onto its place on the shelf, she had grabbed her things and had made her way out of the precinct.

Now walking to the subway station in the rain, Kate didn't think that the day could get any worse. Halfway to the subway station Kate spotted a cab that had just pulled over, and started into a sprint to catch it before it could drive away again.

Opening the door of the cab and getting in, ultimately shutting out the bad weather and the rest of the world, Kate rattled off the address of her old family apartment.

"Sorry Miss, but I already have a passenger."

Confused by that Kate turned her attention to the left side of the cab, and sure enough there was sitting someone else. It was a little dark in the cab, so she couldn't see the other person clear enough. Registering the broad shoulders, the body height and toned chest, the person must be of the other gender. His face was a little harder to make out. The only thing she could make out was his surprised expression. He must be a little surprised that she got into his cab.

"Oh sorry. I didn't know that this cab is already taken." Kate apologized and moved to get out of the car again.

"Wait!"

Now it was her who looked surprised at the man.

"We can share. It's late and it's raining like hell outside. I'm not cruel enough to make you get out there again." The stranger said with a deep, but gentle voice.

Kate looked a little unsure.

"Come on. It's just a cab."

"Fine. Thank you."

The driver seemed to be happy that they finally came to an arrangement, and pulled out from the curb. Kate glanced out of the window, relieved that she didn't had to get back out there again. The radio wasn't too loud and she sat in the back enjoying the silence. Her days were loud enough.

"By the way my name is Rick."

Really? Did they have to make small-talk? Couldn't she for once enjoy the peaceful silence?

Noticing that he wouldn't get a response out of her, Rick continued. "What a shitty weather, huh?"

Squeezing her eyes shut, groaning inwardly. He was really serious about the small-talk. Great. And there she had thought that her day couldn't get worse not even five minutes ago.

"Yeah." she sighed, and if it would've been so silent he was sure he would have missed it.

Rick eyed her more precisely. She was beautiful. Tall, toned and long brown hair that momentarily clung soaked to her face. Since it was dark in the cab, he couldn't really she her that good. But when she had gotten in, they were standing in front of a street light, so he got a pretty good look at her then. She had beautiful hazel eyes, he had thought as he had looked a little flabbergasted at her when she first got in. But something was off. He had seen something in her eyes. Something that screamed _broken_ at him. A deep sadness in her eyes, tainting the picture of a young, carefree, beautiful woman. There was something mysterious about her. And as much as he wanted to know more about her, he kept silent, sensing her need to be left in piece.

So for once he pushed down his curiosity and let the silence take over again.

Fifteen minutes later the cab stopped.

Rick glanced carefully at the woman, who still looked out of the window. Pulling out his wallet, Rick gave the cab driver his money. Kate was torn out of her thoughts by the movement beside her. The man – _Rick_ – said something to the driver, but she couldn't make out any words.

Grabbing the door handle, Rick turned to face her one last time. A kind smile played upon his lips. "That's my stop."

Not knowing what to respond to that, Kate just nodded slightly.

"Get home safely." With those last words he opened the door and got out of the cap. The street was a little bit more illuminated then the one she had gotten into the cab. As Rick watched the cab driving away, Kate could see him now fully. He seemed suddenly a little familiar, but she couldn't really place his face somewhere in.

Barely ten minutes later, the car stopped at her Dad's place. The place she once called her home. The place she had solely associated with happiness just a few years ago. Now it was only the hollow memory of this happiness. A place were the memory of better times lived.

Kate just wanted to pass the money to the driver, but he shook his head.

"The guy you shared the cab with took care of it."

"He did?" she asked surprised, remembering the hushed voice of the stranger as he told the driver something.

"Yeah."

Surprised she got out of the cab, pleased to notice that it stopped raining.

Entering the house she wasn't surprised to find her dad passed out on the couch, reeking of alcohol. He had promised to get better so many times in the past, but had broken his promise every time. But she wouldn't stop trying. Never. She already lost one parent, and she wasn't to lose another one.

Realizing that she couldn't do much but to cover him with a blanket, she turned off the TV and got up the stairs. She may have moved out, but she felt like she was still more often here with her dad then at her own place. Stepping into her old room, Kate made her way to her bed. It had been a long day, yet sleep didn't seem to come to her any time soon.

Sighing she grabbed one of the books she had retrieved from her parents' bedroom. It was one of her mom's. She had loved to read. This book especially looked well used. Must be one of her mom's favorites. _In a Hail of Bullets_, Richard Castle.

After the first few chapters, Kate was pulled into a whole new world. She was completely captured by the story, quickly reading the whole book without a break. She was almost sad to see that she already reached the end of it. It was not often that she was so much into a mystery novel, but she had to admit that she loved the book.

Closing the book, a picture of the writer smiled at her and she recognized him immediately. It was _him_. Rick. The man she had shared the cab with. Suddenly she knew why he seemed so familiar. She had once seen his picture briefly as she had carried her mother's books into her room.

What were the odds? Kate couldn't believe that she shared a cab with a celebrity. Smiling back down at his pictures she already loved his book a little bit more, knowing that the writer who could create such a real world in his books, was also a kind man who helped out a lost soul like her.

Kate walked into the bookshop on her day off almost a month later. Castle's new book would be released today, and she wouldn't leave the bookstore without a copy for herself. Quickly finding the shelf with his new book, surrounded by a few people whom too, tried to get a copy of Castle's new book.

With the book clenched to her chest, she left the store again, feeling the sun rays on her face. Kate sat down on a bench at the park near the store. Opening the book excitedly, she read the dedication, but was slightly taken aback as she read the words.

_To the woman with the sad yet beautiful hazel eyes: Stay strong. Brighter days will follow the darker ones. Always._

Many years later Kate laid on the couch, smiling as she held the well-worn book in her hands while her fingers were gracing lovingly over the dedication. Reading it over and over again, those words couldn't be truer.

They never had talked about the dedication. Kate once had dared to ask, but he had just smiled knowingly at her, confirming the fact without any words. It was a secret only they knew.

Turning her head towards her husband who was sitting at his desk working on his next chapter of his new book, she watched adoringly how his fingers danced over the keyboard, working their magic and forming beautiful words. He seemed to sense her eyes on him, because he stilled his movements and glanced up to meet her eyes.

He smiled at her, his eyes filled with love and adoration. She loved that kind of look. It was _her_ look. He looked at no one else like that. Just her. It gave her always the feeling as if she had dozens of butterflies fluttering inside of her.

She may still miss her mother very much, but the deep sadness in her eyes was long since gone.

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**All mistakes are mine.**

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"**You'll meet 1000's of people, and none of them really mean anything to you. And then you meet one person, and your life is changed forever."**

**Enjoy Castle Monday **


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